Signs you have an unbalanced gut - including unintentional weight changes
Good gut health is really important, and is something more people are becoming aware of - but understanding all things microbiomes and bacteria can be a minefield that's seriously tough to navigate. Practising GP at Lloyds Online Doctor Ireland Ali Zawwar has shared why gut health is so important, and things that can impact the health of your gut, without you even realising it.
Our guts are home to trillions of tiny microbes that make up a complex and incredibly important internal ecosystem known as the microbiome. When we refer to gut health, we are talking about the balance of good and bad bacteria in the digestive system, or gut.
Dr Ali Zawwar said: "Around 70% of your immune cells are found in the gut. What's more, the bacteria in your gut are also responsible for producing necessary vitamins like vitamin B12. This means that if the balance of bacteria isn't as it should be, physical health and mental health can be affected."
He said that a "range of diet and lifestyle factors can negatively affect this balance", including "stress levels, lack of sleep, a highly-processed diet, and taking antibiotics."
Dr Zawwar explained that if there's an imbalance of gut bacteria, you may be more likely to get sick, and experience negative symptoms. He said: "An unhealthy gut can result in insomnia or poor sleep, causing you to feel tired", he explained. "Most of the body's serotonin (the hormone linked to sleep) is produced in the gut. Therefore, when there is bacteria or inflammation, your sleep may be impacted too."
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Your weight may unintentionally change too, as Dr Zawwar said: "“When your gut is out of balance, your body may struggle to absorb vital nutrients, store fat, and regulate blood sugar. A symptom of this might be unexpected changes in weight."
Skin irritation can also occur if there are gut issues, "such as acne and eczema", and an upset stomach including "frequent discomfort, gas, bloating, constipation, diarrhoea, and heartburn could be a sign that your gut is having a hard time digesting and eliminating waste."
Food intolerances can also "be due to poor quality bacteria in the gut, which results in the body struggling to digest certain foods." But if you're looking to improve your gut health, don't panic, as there are ways. Dr Zawwar says diet is one of the most important contributors to gut health.
"Diet has a big role to play when it comes to improving gut health. The aim is to help introduce good bacteria into your gut while reducing the number of bad bacteria. Ultra-processed foods can negatively impact your gut. The best thing to do is eat a variety of plant-based foods. Try to 'eat the rainbow', ensuring your diet includes lots of different coloured fruit and vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, and legumes like beans and lentils.
"It's also important to make sure your diet includes prebiotics. These are foods that contain a specific type of fibre that feeds good bacteria in the gut. Examples of foods rich in prebiotics include bananas, pomegranates, oats, rye crackers, pistachios, and garlic. Similarly, you want to aim to include probiotics in your diet too. These are foods like natural yoghurt, kombucha, and pickles that contain live bacteria, which can help improve the diversity of bacteria in your gut", he shared.
He also recommended "lowering stress levels" and "good quality sleep" to maintain a healthy microbiome. And he also said that staying hydrated is key. "If you are concerned about your gut health, there are methods of evaluating how well your digestive system is working, such as monitoring bowel movements and symptoms. If you are noticing drastic changes, then you should talk to your GP", he recommended.
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